PSWCD Services Offered

Community Conservation Assistance Program

The Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP) supports the installation of water quality best management practices on non-agricultural lands. This program is an innovative approach to controlling water quality impacts caused by stormwater runoff. The CCAP is intended to operate under the same guidance and accoutnability as the NC Agriculture Cost Share Program and achieve the same successes. CCAP will focus its efforts on retrofitting stormwater BMP's on property that has been developed at least three years. The CCAP program is to encourage governments, individual landowners, and buisnesses to incorporate stormwater BMP's within their landscape to aid in the improvement of water quality. The economic incentive is up to 75% of the average cost of installation. If you are interested in the CCAP program please contact our office.

CCAP BMP's Include: Abandoned Well Closures, Impervious Surface Conversion, Permeable Pavement, Grassed Swale, Critical Area Planting, Bioretention Areas, Backyard Rain Gardens, Stormwater Wetlands, Backyard Wetlands, Diversion, Riparian Buffer, Streambank Protection and Restoration, Cisterns, and Pet Waste Receptacles.

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

CREP

(Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program) is a program offering incentives for buffering perennial drainageways with trees. Incentives include an annual rental rate (~$100 per acre for up to fifteen years) and cost share to assist with planting the trees. The trees serve to buffer (filter) nutrients from the subsurface water moving towards the perennial drainageway. Eligible areas can be enrolled for ten years, fifteen years, thirty years or permanently. Acreage enrolled with a thirty year or permanent easement also includes a bonus payment. If you areinterested in this program please contact our NRCS office at 252-902-1746.

Nutrient Management Plans

A Nutrient Management Plan is a tool to help define the nutrient needs of crops, and how best to provide the amount, sources, placement and timing of those applications to maximize nutrient uptake of the crop, and improve yields. Implementation of nutrient management plans should protect the environment, maintain crop productivity, and increase profitability. Our office has a certified Nutrient Management Planner that writes plans for our local farmers to help aid in proper nutrient management. If you are interested in the Soil and Water Office Nutrient Management Services, please contact us at 252-902-1746.

Drainage Solutions

The staff of the Pitt Soil and Water Conservation District assists the Pitt County agricultural community with drainage problems that occur in agricultural areas. Drainage maintenance and improvements are needed periodically for both surface drainage as well as subsurface drainage. We have historical maps housed in our department which show the location of the many systems that have been installed since the early 1950’s.

Before After

NC Agriculture Cost Share Program

Non-point source pollution has been identified by the NC Division of Water Quality as the primary source of degradation of freshwater rivers and streams in North Carolina. The approach taken in North Carolina for addressing this pollution problem is by encouraging voluntary participation from the agriculture community to install Best Management Practices on their farms to reduce the amount of non-point pollution that leaves the site. The BMP's are supported with financial incentives, technical and educational assistance, research, and regulatory programs. The Cost Share Program is a reimbursement program that pays up to 75 % of the average cost for the installed BMP's while the farmer/landowner pays the remaining cost. Our cost share practices include vegetated field borders, grassed waterways, irrigation systems, conservation tillage, cropland conversion, poultry incinerators, water control structures, and much more. If you are interested in this program or would like a list of the Best Management Practices our program covers, please email us or call 252-902-1746.